From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2013 #341 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Website:http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe:mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Friday, September 6 2013 Volume 2013 : Number 341 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni [Anita G Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni Jamie, My hat goes off to every man who attempts the Joni register and I can see how the later arrangements of Joni songs have helped the baritones - - like your good self. I also know there are some guys who do Joni in her soprano as well as, if not better, than anyone! I am trying to think of the name of that amazing man in the USA who did that fantastic show that a lot of people really loved. Sadly, the name escapes me now. As for French Jonifest, you thinking 'Oh My God, she's doing it!' You seem to have left off the 'Wish she'd stop' :~)) I know that's what I felt like after verse one! Anita x On 05/09/2013, jamiezubairi wrote: > Anita > How do you think it feels being a baritone and wanting to sing Joni? I love > her BSN 2000 for that reason. She now sings her songs in my register! ;) > > I do remember you singing at the French Jonifest and remember thinking > ohmygod she's doing it! > > > Sent from Samsung Mobile > > -------- Original message -------- > From: Anita G > Date: 05/09/2013 09:07 (GMT+00:00) > To: Ange T > Cc: joni@smoe.org > Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni > > Hi Ange > I empathise entirely with you! When I used to play pubs and clubs back > in the late 70s and 80s, the only Joni I would dare play was BYT and > BSN, which I would play in an open E tuning and could offer a > reasonable attempt at the standards that people would know and > generally enjoy. I never had the ability to understand the complexity > of any other Joni tunings (apart from the dulcimer ones which I picked > out by ear from a video of Joni playing I got somewhere). > > My ambition was always to play The Dawntreader - so when the > marvellous Joni.com came along and amazingly skilful people had worked > out the tuning at last, I could have a go at the Dawntreader. And yes, > that Joni voice......sweeping down 'The roll of the harbour wake...' > then whizzing up to 'he stakes all his silver....' > > How disappointing for me after 30 years of longing to play and sing > that song to eventually do it and hear my voice sound somewhere > between a low aircraft hum and a scalded cat. Truly horrible. I played > it at the France Joni Fest some years ago and it was an error of > judgement I sincerely regret and would like to apologise sincerely to > anyone there who saw the rendition. > > I can play it much better than I can sing it, especially with a bit > of a chorus and reverb whacked on my guitar. But then, not many can > really do Joni's music justice, though many are moved enough to try! > Love to the east coast of Oz and you > Anita > > On 04/09/2013, Ange T wrote: >> I sat in my seaside apartment on the east coast of Australia last night >> with a pile of printed Joni guitar tabs and detuning sheets. I printed >> them >> over ten years ago, when I was living in Bangkok. Back then I was working >> as a journalist-by-day and had scored myself a second job as a folk singer >> by-night, in a little hole in the wall bar. It was my first paid gig ever >> and I was 22 years old. I got the gig by accident and I needed to figure >> out how to fill 2 hours of live music....so, when my newsroom colleagues >> weren't watching, I printed Joni...not just one song, or two, but a whole >> encyclopedia of Ms Mitchell's mind-blowing music. >> >> I've lived in many places around the world since then...and I've carried >> that pile of song sheets with me. Every now and then I will feel inspired >> to pick up my guitar and reminisce about my time as a folk singer in >> Thailand - and that little wooden bar, full of hippy-song-loving Thais, >> where I sang Joni tunes. That's what happened last night. I fell in love >> with Joni's tabs and tunings all over again...but also experienced that >> feeling of utter frustration as a vocalist trying to sing her songs. >> >> I mean - seriously - the woman's voice = NOT OF THIS WORLD. For example, >> Conversation, I tried to play it with the cappo all over the fret board >> last night....each time I'd find a part of the song that sat perfectly for >> my voice...but all that resulted was another part of the song that was >> impossible to sing. >> >> I've read many articles that talk about the sweet high notes of Joni's >> younger voice...but for me it's the low notes that she sings with such >> warmth and ease that truly hurt my brain/vocal box. How can she sing >> 'apples and cheeses' and then 'songs to play' in the same breath? What a >> freak! >> >> Okay, here ends the rant of a vocally frustrated Joni fan...think I'll go >> back to singing Bob Dylan covers...ha! >> >> Ange in Oz >> angetakats.com.au ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 09:07:10 +0100 From: Anita G Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni Hi Ange I empathise entirely with you! When I used to play pubs and clubs back in the late 70s and 80s, the only Joni I would dare play was BYT and BSN, which I would play in an open E tuning and could offer a reasonable attempt at the standards that people would know and generally enjoy. I never had the ability to understand the complexity of any other Joni tunings (apart from the dulcimer ones which I picked out by ear from a video of Joni playing I got somewhere). My ambition was always to play The Dawntreader - so when the marvellous Joni.com came along and amazingly skilful people had worked out the tuning at last, I could have a go at the Dawntreader. And yes, that Joni voice......sweeping down 'The roll of the harbour wake...' then whizzing up to 'he stakes all his silver....' How disappointing for me after 30 years of longing to play and sing that song to eventually do it and hear my voice sound somewhere between a low aircraft hum and a scalded cat. Truly horrible. I played it at the France Joni Fest some years ago and it was an error of judgement I sincerely regret and would like to apologise sincerely to anyone there who saw the rendition. I can play it much better than I can sing it, especially with a bit of a chorus and reverb whacked on my guitar. But then, not many can really do Joni's music justice, though many are moved enough to try! Love to the east coast of Oz and you Anita On 04/09/2013, Ange T wrote: > I sat in my seaside apartment on the east coast of Australia last night > with a pile of printed Joni guitar tabs and detuning sheets. I printed them > over ten years ago, when I was living in Bangkok. Back then I was working > as a journalist-by-day and had scored myself a second job as a folk singer > by-night, in a little hole in the wall bar. It was my first paid gig ever > and I was 22 years old. I got the gig by accident and I needed to figure > out how to fill 2 hours of live music....so, when my newsroom colleagues > weren't watching, I printed Joni...not just one song, or two, but a whole > encyclopedia of Ms Mitchell's mind-blowing music. > > I've lived in many places around the world since then...and I've carried > that pile of song sheets with me. Every now and then I will feel inspired > to pick up my guitar and reminisce about my time as a folk singer in > Thailand - and that little wooden bar, full of hippy-song-loving Thais, > where I sang Joni tunes. That's what happened last night. I fell in love > with Joni's tabs and tunings all over again...but also experienced that > feeling of utter frustration as a vocalist trying to sing her songs. > > I mean - seriously - the woman's voice = NOT OF THIS WORLD. For example, > Conversation, I tried to play it with the cappo all over the fret board > last night....each time I'd find a part of the song that sat perfectly for > my voice...but all that resulted was another part of the song that was > impossible to sing. > > I've read many articles that talk about the sweet high notes of Joni's > younger voice...but for me it's the low notes that she sings with such > warmth and ease that truly hurt my brain/vocal box. How can she sing > 'apples and cheeses' and then 'songs to play' in the same breath? What a > freak! > > Okay, here ends the rant of a vocally frustrated Joni fan...think I'll go > back to singing Bob Dylan covers...ha! > > Ange in Oz > angetakats.com.au ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 09:44:45 +0100 From: jamiezubairi Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni AnitaB How do you think it feels being a baritone and wanting to sing Joni? I love her BSN 2000 for that reason. She now sings her songs in my register! ;)B I do remember you singing at the French Jonifest and remember thinking ohmygod she's doing it!B Sent from Samsung Mobile - -------- Original message -------- From: Anita G Date: 05/09/2013 09:07 (GMT+00:00) To: Ange T Cc: joni@smoe.org Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni Hi Ange I empathise entirely with you! When I used to play pubs and clubs back in the late 70s and 80s, the only Joni I would dare play was BYT and BSN, which I would play in an open E tuning and could offer a reasonable attempt at the standards that people would know and generally enjoy. I never had the ability to understand the complexity of any other Joni tunings (apart from the dulcimer ones which I picked out by ear from a video of Joni playing I got somewhere). My ambition wasB always to play The Dawntreader - so when the marvellous Joni.com came along and amazingly skilful people had worked out the tuning at last, I could have a go at the Dawntreader. And yes, that Joni voice......sweeping down 'The roll of the harbour wake...' then whizzing up to 'he stakes all his silver....' How disappointing for me after 30 years of longing to play and sing that song to eventually do it and hear my voice sound somewhere between a low aircraft hum and a scalded cat. Truly horrible. I played it at the France Joni Fest some years ago and it was an error of judgement I sincerely regret and would like to apologise sincerely to anyone there who saw the rendition. I can play it much better than I can sing it, especially with a bit of a chorus and reverb whacked on my guitar. But then, not many can really do Joni's music justice, though many are moved enough to try! Love to the east coast of Oz and you Anita On 04/09/2013, Ange T wrote: > I sat in my seaside apartment on the east coast of Australia last night > with a pile of printed Joni guitar tabs and detuning sheets. I printed them > over ten years ago, when I was living in Bangkok. Back then I was working > as a journalist-by-day and had scored myself a second job as a folk singer > by-night, in a little hole in the wall bar. It was my first paid gig ever > and I was 22 years old. I got the gig by accident and I needed to figure > out how to fill 2 hours of live music....so, when my newsroom colleagues > weren't watching, I printed Joni...not just one song, or two, but a whole > encyclopedia of Ms Mitchell's mind-blowing music. > > I've lived in many places around the world since then...and I've carried > that pile of song sheets with me. Every now and then I will feel inspired > to pick up my guitar and reminisce about my time as a folk singer in > Thailand - and that little wooden bar, full of hippy-song-loving Thais, > where I sang Joni tunes. That's what happened last night. I fell in love > with Joni's tabs and tunings all over again...but also experienced that > feeling of utter frustration as a vocalist trying to sing her songs. > > I mean - seriously - the woman's voice = NOT OF THIS WORLD. For example, > Conversation, I tried to play it with the cappo all over the fret board > last night....each time I'd find a part of the song that sat perfectly for > my voice...but all that resulted was another part of the song that was > impossible to sing. > > I've read many articles that talk about the sweet high notes of Joni's > younger voice...but for me it's the low notes that she sings with such > warmth and ease that truly hurt my brain/vocal box. How can she sing > 'apples and cheeses' and then 'songs to play' in the same breath? What a > freak! > > Okay, here ends the rant of a vocally frustrated Joni fan...think I'll go > back to singing Bob Dylan covers...ha! > > Ange in Oz > angetakats.com.au ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2013 07:20:08 +1000 From: Ange T Subject: Re: The inspiration and frustration of the voice of Joni Bob - I had to laugh when I read your comment about her crazy-long phrases. The other day I thought I'd 'nailed' People's Parties and decided to play it to my partner and he said "Um, it just sounds like you can't fit all the words in and your gasping for breath"... not exactly the response I was after! Ange in Oz (who will keep on trying!) angetakats.com.au P.S. Thanks for the lower register version of Conversation, Susan! I hadn't heard it before... love it! On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 9:49 PM, wrote: > Hi Ange, and thanks for the post. I could almost see the joint you > described. As for following in Joni's footsteps vocally, you're spot on. > Conversation is certainly one of those, as are California and I Had A King. > I'll never forget the first time I heard her hit that low note on "brown" > and couldn't believe it was Joni's voice. > > Almost as tricky as her range was back in the day, her ability to fit > crazy-long phrases in a few short musical bursts is equally challenging. I > remember singing "Talk To Me" at a Full Moon Jonifest with Marian playing > guitar, bless her heart she was so patient, we had to keep doing the Willy > the Shake part because I just couldn't make it work. I feel like I finally > got it, or at least came close, but it certainly gives you respect for the > vocal skills the lady had. > > Bob > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The information transmitted is intended only for the person > or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. > If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are > hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, > distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon > this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please > contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. > > Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual > sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. > ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2013 #341 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here:mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe